Marine-engine governor



W. G. cOXE ET AL.

MARINE ENGINE GOVERNOR I Feb. 23,1926. I

Filed August 5, 1924 5 sheets-$313M 1 I W 6 Com,

Feb. 23 1926.

W. G. COKE ET AL.

MARINE ENGINE GOVERNOR 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed August 5,

3140211 5005 W761. com a mlkgergrem.

atkozmq FeB. 4'3 1926. 1,574,559 1 W. G. CCJXE ET AL MARINE ENGINE GOVERNOR Filed August 19% ssneets-sheet s Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM G. CDXE, OF PHIF ADELPHIA, PENEESYLVANIA, AND GUSTAV M. LAG-ER- GREN, O1 WIL'MEF'GTON, DELAWARE.

MARINE-ENGIIIE GOVERNOR.

Application filed August 5, 1924.

To all 107mm. 27 may concern:

Be it known that \VILMAM G. Corn, of the city of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, and (tus'rav lil. LAGERGREN, of the city of Vilinington, county of New Castle, and State of Delaware, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in hLlarine-Engine Governors, of uhich the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in marine engine governors, and particularly to an emer ency governor for marine engines and steam turbines, installed in vessels, the governor being adapted to control and regulate the speed to which the engine or turbine operates, under the varying con- :litions encountered when the ship is truvelm in a rough sea.

All object of this invention is to provide a pendulum controlled automatically operating governor which will control the field circuit of a motor installed to operate the steam throttle valve applying motive fluid to the engine or turbine, which pendulum is responsive to forward and aft pitching of the boat tending to raise the propeller screw partially or entirely from the water, under which conditions the engine would race.

A further object resides in so constructing the parts that the control of the engine steam valve is entirely automatic and is substantially instantaneous with the commencement of each new forward and aft pitch of the vessel as the ship stern rises and falls, due to the action of the seas.

Another object is to so construct the parts that the field circuit of the motor is automatically broken when the steam throttle lever has been carried to the full open or the full. closed position, and that a circuit connection can be established for a reverse movement when the pendulum swings in an opposite direction.

Another object lies in so constructing and mounting the parts that adjustments can be made to suit different conditions of operation, and that the throttle valves can be manually operated independently of the pen dulnm governed control, and also when the pendulum control is connected for automatic operation of the throttle.

lVith the above and other objects in view, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, our invention includes certain novel Serial No. 730,249.

features of construction and combinations of parts which will now be set forth in connection with the drawings, and then particularl y pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the throttle and reversing lever assembly with the control motor in position.

F 2 is a view in side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

F ig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the control pendulum and switch mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a view in edge elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. (i is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a (liagrannnatic view showing the manner of connecting the wires leading to the valve circuit. of the motor.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the lever shifting segment. i

Fig. 9- is a view in elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front viewof the circuit breaking switch. v

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view on line ii ii of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12, is a view in elevation of one of the switch operating cams.

Fig. 13 is a detail view showing one of the contact screws carried by the pendulum.

F 14: is a detail view of the pendulum adjusting block.

Our automatic governor is adapted for use upon any type of vessel, and in connection with various forms of marine steam engines and steam turbines, and while the throttle and reverse levers shown in the present illustration areone standard form of control. these are here taken to illustrate one adaptation of this invention, and it is to be understood that the arrangement and connection of worm and worm gears, ball cranks and drag rods, and the like, canbe varied to suit different requirements of use, our main purpose being to control the field circuit of a motor coupled to actuate the steam valve of a marine engine or steam turbine, by means of a pendulum switch swinging with the rise and fall of a ship, due to the action of the seas on the vessel when under way in a heavy sea.

The throttle lever 1 and the reversing lever 2 are mounted on a shaft 3 carried by a supporting bracket 4, and these levers 1 and 2 are held in place l'or proper movements by segmental guide bars Drag rods on the arms 7 are connected to open and close the steam engine valves, and as the valves and the manner of connecting the drag rods therewith are well known, we have not? here illustrated the same. i

A lever shitting segment 8, is mounted loosely on shaft 3 between the throttle and reversing levers 1 and 2, and this segment 8 has worm gear teeth provided at 9 thereon. Arms 10 and 11 project radially from the hub 12 oi the segment and are provided with openings 13 at their outer ends. The mounting bracket -1- has slots let formed there through in line with the openings 13 of the arms 10 and 11, and connecting screws 15 and 16 carried by levers 1 and 2 have their ends fitted through these openings 14 to be turned into the openings 13 ot the arms 10 and 11, when the throttle or reversing levers are to be connected tor movement with the segment 8.

A. motor 1'? is carried by the supporting bracket 1 with its shaft extending adjacent the teeth 9 of the segment or quadrant S, and a. worm 18 is provided on the shaft in mesh with the teeth 9. On the outer end of the motor shaft a hand wheel 19 is mounted so that the motor shaft can be manually revolved to manually shift the segment or quadrant 8. and: consequently either of the levers which may be coupled therewith.

A switch box 20 is carried by the sup porting bracket 4 adjacent the hub 12 ot the segment 8, and this switch box has two sets (it spring switch members therein. A switch member 21 has a binding post on one end thereof and has its other end within the box 29', and a switch member having a binding po t on one end has its remaining end extending into the box adjacent the tree end (it switch member 21. Button 23 is provided in the switch box to be pushed in to engage switch member 22 in circuit conducting con tactwith switch men'iber 21. The switch member 24;, similar to switch member 21, has switch member 25 similar to switch member 22, mounted in line therewith, and switch button 26 is adapted to close one of these switch members in circuit conducting relation with the other. Cams 27 and 28, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 12, are adjustably fitted on the hub- 12 of segment 8,v and adjusted positions of these cams are held by set screws 29. The cams 27 and 28 are mounted on the hub 12 substantially in line with. the switch buttons 23 and 26, and are so arranged that when the chute sector 9 is swung to move the control lever connected with segment 8 to either of its extreme positious, one cam will lead oft from one of the switch buttons and the other cam will come into place to close the remaining switch through the medium of the respective switch button. This connection and installation of the switch is-.-adaptcd to break the circuit to the motor when one extreme of movement has been reached, and to thus prevent damage to the operating parts, and the purpose in having the other switch automatically closed when the one switch connection is broken, is that the motor circuit is thus always left in such condition that a circui connection can be accomplished to the field circuit of the motor.

For registering the oscillations of a vessel pitching forward and alt in a heavy sea, the pendulum structure, best shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6, is particularly adapted. This pendulum structure is carried by a suitable bracket which is preferably mounted on a bulk head or other supporting portion of the vessel in the aft part of the ship and within convenient access from the engine room. This bracket structure is made up of the vertical guide strips 30 and 31 carrying a bearing block 32 adjacent their lower ends and having supporting arms and 8 1 extending forwardly therefrom. The guide strips having a bracket block 35 slidably mounted therein, and pivot bearing screws 36 and 87 are carried by this bracket to piv otally mount a bearing block 38 which has a pendulum rod 39 depending theretrom, and carrying the pendulum weight 10 at its lower end. This bracket block is adjacent within the guide strip 30 and 31, and an adjusting screw 41 gives bearing mounting in the block 82 or receiving through a threaded opening therein, so that the height of the bearing bracket 35 can be adjusted with respect to the position of the supporting arms 33 and 3st. These supporting arms 33 and 34 have the guide bars 42 and 13 of insulating material, connected therebetween with blocks 14 and serving to separate the guide strips suthciently to permit swinging movement of the pendulum rod 39, this rod beingof sutlicient length to carry the pendulum weight below the guide bars 42 and 43.. Adjusting screws 46 and 417 are turned through threaded openings in blocks 44 and 15, and carry insulating blocks 48 and 49 on their inner ends, these insulating blocks being slidably mounted between the guide bars 42 and 43. Insulating block 48 has contact members 50 and 51 thereon carrying their opposite ends, each contact member being provided with a binding post. and block 49 has similar contact members 52 and carried at its ends and is provided with a binding post.

Insulating blocks 54 and 55 are notched in their middle portions to be fitted on 0pp0 site sides of the pendulum rod 39, substantially in line, with the contact members 50, 51, 52 and 53, and these insulating strips emme are clamped together by nuts fitted on the ends of the contact screws 56 and 57, one of which is illustrated in detail in Fig. '3. Binding posts 58 and 59 are connected with the contact screws 56 and 57, and by loosenug: the nuts on the ends of the contact screws, it is possible to adjust these screws so that their contact ends or points will be in position in engagement with the contacts carried by the blocks 48 and 49, irrespective of the adjustment of bearing block 38 carrying the supporting pendulum rod 39. The blocks 48 and 4:9, and bearing block 88, are adjustably mounted to permit adjustments for various lengths of degrees of swing allowed the pendulum on each 'side of a center line, and these adjustments may be made from zero to live degrees or more on each side of a center line.

It will be appreciated that the pendulum structure is mounted so that the pendulum will swing forward and aft of the ship, and the guide strips will permit movement of the pendulum when the boat pitches, but will hold the pendulum in proper relation in olling or quarter pitching. The snpportng bracket 1 and the parts carried thereby can be in the usual. or in any convenient location, and it is not absolutely essential that this mounting be adjacent the mounting of the pendulum, as the circuit wiring can be carried from one to the other. One convenient arrangement of circuit wiring is shown in Fig. 7, and it is preferable that the plus and minus wires 60 and 61 'form a suitable source of electric current supply by connecting with the fixed binding posts 53 and 51, and that circuit wires 62 and 68 be led from the contacts 56 and 57 carried by the pendulum rod 39 to opposite sides of the winding of the motor 17. A circuit wire/64 is connected from the binding post 51 to the binding post on switch member 22, and a circuit wire 65 is led from binding post 50 to switch member 25. Circuit wire 67 leads from the binding post on switch member 21 J0 the binding post carried by contact 53, and a circuit wire 66 leads from the binding wet on switch member 2a to the binding post )n contact member 52. With this arrange nent of the circuit wiring, and keeping in nind that the cams 27 and 28 are so adjusted and lit on the hub 12 that one of the switch mttons is pressed in to the switch closing position when the other is released, it will be seen that the swinging movement of the pendulum rod 39 will cause a closed connection from. the leading in circuit wires 60 and 61 to the circuit wires 62 .nd 63 connected with the motor windings for forward and reverse operation. With this wiring, when the motor shaft has been revolved sufliciently that worm 18 carries segment 8 to one extreme position, the cooperating cam on hub 12 will lead off from ,will remain in aset position until the pendulum 39 swings to a reverse position, through, p tching of the vessel. This operation will continue as long as the vessel pitches, and

the automatic control is connected with the valve shifting levers, and the valve levers will. be substantially instantaneously shift-' ed from one position to the other and will remain in these positions until the boat rises and falls on the opposite pitch. It is to be understood that the arrangement of the parts will be such that the throttle will be closed when the stern of the boat rises, in whichposition the screw propeller will be sufliciently free from the water pressure that the engine would otherwise race-,- and that the throttle will be opened for full operation of the engine when the stern of the boat sinks.

l'Vhile we have herein shown and described one specific construction and arrangement of parts and have suggested only certain possible modifications, it will be appreciated that changes and variations can be made in the form, construction. and connection of the various parts, without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

\Ve claim:

1. A marine engine governor comprising a reversible electric motor connected to open and close the engine control valves, double throw switch means having opposite sides thereof connected in the motor circuit oscillated by pitching movement of the boat to auton'iaticallv start and reverse the motor to open and close the engine control valve.

2. A. marine engine governor comprising a reversible electric motor connected to open and close the engine control valves, double throw switch means having opposite sides thereof connected in the motor circuit adapted to be oscillated by pitching movement of. the boat to automatically start and reverse the motor to open and close the engine control valves svnchronously with pitching movement of the boat. and switch means to break the motor circuit and stop the motor when the valve has been moved to either of its extremes.

A marineengine governor comprising a reversible electric motor, aconnection from" said motor to valve-opening and closing means for an engine. double throw switch means having opposite sides thereof connected in the forward and reverse circuits of the motor actuated by pitching movement of the boat to alternately cut in and cut out the two circuits, and switch means actuated by the valve operating means to break the .clectric motor, a connection between said motor and the segment by which the segment is moved to open and close the engine valve, a pendulum switch mounted to be oscillated by pitching of the boat in which the engine is installed, and circuit connections from opposite sides of the pendulum switchto opposite sides of the motor wiring to alternately energize the motor for forward and reverse operation as the pendulum switch swings to its two extremes of oscillation.

5. A marine engine governor comprising a segment to be connected to control valveopening and closing means, a reversible electric motor, a connection between said motor and the segment by which the segment is moved to open and close the engine valve, a pendulum switch mounted to be oscillated by pitching of the boat in which the engine is installed, circuit connections from opposite sides of the pendulum switch to opposite sides of the motor wiring to alternately energize the motor for forward and reverse operation as the pendulum switch swings to its two extremes of oscillation, and switch means to break the motor circuit and stop the motor when the valve has been moved to either of its extremes.

6. A marine engine governor comprising a motor connected to open and close the engine control valves and adapted to be reversed through its field windings, circuit connections to said windings, and a pendulum actuated reversing switch means connected in said circuit with opposite terminals joined with the opposite sides of the field structure.

7. A marine engine governor comprising a motor connected to open and close the engine control valves and adapted to be reversed through its field windings, circuit connections to said windings, a pendulum actuated reversing switch means connected in said circuit with opposite terminals joined with the opposite sides of the field structure, and switch means to automatically break the energized circuit to stop the motor when the valve has reached one extreme of movement.

'8. In combination with a marine engine valve control means, a reversible electric motor connected to actuate said control means to open and close the valve, forward and reverse circuit connections to said mo tor, and a pendulum actuated reversing and reverse circuit connections to said motor, a pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted to oscillate as the boat carrying the engine pitches, said switch having opposite sides thereof connected with the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor, and means to var and adjust the settings of the pendulum switch to accom modate the device for violent and moderate pitching of the boat.

10. In combination with a marine engine valve control means, a reversible electric motor connected to actuate said control means to open and close the valve, forward and reverse circuit connections to said motor, a pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted to oscillate as the boat carrying the engine pitches, said switch having opposite sides thereof connected with the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor, means to vary and adjust the settings of the endulum switch to accommodate the devlce for violent and moderate pitching of the boat, mechanically actuated switch means connected in the forward and reverse circuit wires, and means actuated by the valve-operating means to open the mechanical switch in the energized circuit wire when the valve has been moved to one extreme and to close the mechanical switch in the remaining circuit wire.

11. A marine engine governor for automatic actuation of the valve control levers of a boat, comprising a reversible electric motor, a segment rocked by said motor, means to connect the valve control lever with said segment, forward and reverse electric circuit connections to the motor, and a pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted upon a portion of the boat to be oscillated by pitching movement of the boat, said pendulum switch having opposite-terminals thereof connected in the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor.

12. A marine engine governor for automatic actuation of the valve control levers of a boat, comprising a reversible electric motor, a segment rocked by said motor, means to connect the valve control lever with said segment, forward and reverse electric circuit connections to the motor, a pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted upon a portion of the boat to be oscillated by pitching movement of the boat, said pendulum switch having opposite terminals thereof connected in the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor, a mechanically operated switch in each of the circuit wires to the motor, and means carried by said segment to open the switch in the energized wire and close the switch in the remainin circuit wire when the valve has reached either of its extremes of movement.

13. A marine engine governor for automatic actuation of the valve control levers of a boat, comprising a reversible electric motor, a segment rocked by said motor, means to connect the valve control lever with said segment, forward and reverse electric circuit connections to the motor, a pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted upon a portion of the boat to be oscillated by pitching movement of the boat,

said pendulum switch having opposite terminals thereof connected in the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor, a mechanically operated switch in each of the circuit wires to the motor, means carried by said segment to open the switch in the energized wire and close the switch in the remaining circuit wire when the valve has reached either of its extremes of movement, and means to adjust and vary settings of the pendulum switch to suit different conditions of use and degrees of pitching.

14:. A marine engine governor for automatic actuation of the valve control levers of a boat, comprising a reversible electric motor, a segment rocked by said motor, means to connect the valve control lever with said segment, forward and reverse electrical circuit connections to the motor, a

pendulum actuated reversing switch to be mounted upon a portion ofthc boat to be oscillated by pitching movement of the boat. said pendulum switch having opposite terminals thereof connected in the forward and reverse circuit connections to the motor, a mechanically operated switch in each of the circuit wires to the motor, and means carried by said segment to open the switch in the energized wire and close the switch in the remaining circuit wire when the valve has reached either of its extremes of movement, means to adjust and vary settings of the pendulum switch to suit different conditions of use and degrees of pitching, and a hand-wheel on the motor shaft by which manual-actuation and control of the engine valve is accomplished.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

WILLIAM G. COXE. GUSTAV M. LAGERGREN. 

